From: Brianna Rewey <bsrewey>
Date: Tue, 5 Mar 2002 20:59:48 -0800 (PST)

Okay, this is going to be long?I have lots of different thoughts to address.

I have read only two of the Printz books from this year: A Step from Heaven and True Believer. Both of these books have been making the rounds with the middle school and high school girls this whole school year. Below are some thoughts I have about them along with things I have heard from students. I also am including comments from a student who read Freewill.

A Step from Heaven: I loved this book. One of the reasons is because of all of its references to Korea and the use of some Korean words. I also was very impressed with how An Na took snapshots of each year in Young Ju?s life?.even though I only read about one event in each year of her life I was able to understand and know Young Ju. For An Na to be able to let the reader really know Young Ju throughout her life in such a short book takes real talent. An Na chose her words carefully; there is nothing in the book that doesn?t belong. My favorite chapter is when she goes with her father to the immigration office. It was heart-wrenching?I really felt for her father and what he must be going through having to rely so heavily on his daughter. The students here have enjoyed the book but maybe not as much as I was expecting them to. I thought because of the book?s ties to Korea that they would just love it. Over 50% of the student population is half-Korean?but it is their mothers who are Korean, their fathers are American. I don?t think the students completely relate to the book because they don?t have Korean fathers. No one has come back to me after reading it and told me they loved it?they all said it was good and they were glad that they read it?they just didn?t fall in love with it like I did.

True Believer: This book definitely surprised me. I read Make Lemonade a few years ago and really liked it. I was ready to read more about LaVaughn so I read it the night I received it. Once again, I enjoyed hearing about LaVaughn. It was nice to read Euwer Wolff?s short chapters again as I read about LaVaughn?s continuing journey. Once again, LaVaughn was a strong character who I really was pushing for in all of her endeavors. I really enjoyed this book and look forward to the third. One thing I?m sure most other people were surprised at was that Jody was gay. I think the students at my school who have read the book have felt the same way...they were not expecting Jody to be gay. They really wanted something to happen between LaVaughn and Jody so when it didn't they were disappointed.

I think that brings up something very interesting about both True Believer and Hard Love, a past Printz Honor book. I have not had one student come up to me after reading either of these books and tell me they didn't like the book because of the gay characters or tell me that the books were inappropriate or disgusting, etc. because of the gay characters. At first I thought maybe it was because I was recommending the books to students I felt would be okay with it. But then the books started getting checked out by others because of word-of-mouth. I think most of the students were disappointed that the main characters didn?t get to fall in love and live happily every after but the fact that the love interest was homosexual didn?t seem to bother any of the students. The students at my school are children of U.S. soldiers so the clientele is fairly conservative. I definitely think these books and the wide?ceptance of them is very impressive. Homosexuality is becoming much more accepted in the television and movies that these students watch. I think that this acceptance is now carrying over into mainstream young adult literature.

Both A Step from Heaven and True Believer are perfect for recommending to reluctant readers because they are quick, easy reads. I have only recommended these books to girls though. I don?t think any guys have read them here. Does anyone know of a teenage boy who has read either of these books? I would be interested in hearing any comments about that.

Freewill: I have not read Freewill yet but there is a sophomore boy here who is a big Chris Lynch fan. He read the book the first day we got it in. He came back to me a day or two later and told me he was disappointed. He said that what he likes about Lynch?s books is that they are funny, even his serious books have moments of humor in them. He said Freewill did not have humor in it. He also had trouble with the 2nd person style of the book. He wasn?t expecting it and it said it took him a while to get used to being ?addressed? throughout the book. Here are some of the things the student said: ?The book was depressing?the guy?s life was messed up. His relationship with his grandfather was messed up. He had no friends. In Chris Lynch?s other books friendship plays an important part, like in Whitechurch and Gold Dust. I just didn?t like it?it was too depressing.? He then went on to tell me that I should read it because he wants to know if I agree with him?so I guess it?s next on my list of things to read!

Just thought I?d share my experiences and thoughts about these books. I?m interested to hear what others have to say.

Thanks, Brianna Rewey K Librarian Taegu American School Taegu, Korea


===="Traveling - it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller."
- From Traveling Man: The Journey of Ibn Battuta, 132554 by James Rumford

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Received on Tue 05 Mar 2002 10:59:48 PM CST